Grimstad in Norway – a charming coastal town with an award-winning brewery

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

After several days along the Norwegian south coast, we arrived in Grimstad – a town that quickly became one of our favorites. Here we were greeted by white wooden houses, narrow alleys, a lively harbor and several really nice dining experiences. We also had the opportunity to visit one of Norway's most well-known craft breweries.

Grimstad – one of Norway's most charming coastal towns

Grimstad is a classic southern Norwegian coastal town with around 25,000 inhabitants. The town is known for its white wooden houses, its boating life and its connection to Henrik Ibsen. During the summer the harbour is filled with sailboats, outdoor cafes and holidaymakers.

Grimstad is located in southern Norway, about 45 kilometers northeast of Kristiansand.

Narrow alleys and white wooden houses

The best way to discover Grimstad is simply to stroll around. The narrow alleys are lined with well-kept white wooden houses, flower boxes and small shops. New photo opportunities await around every corner.

The harbor – the city's natural meeting place

The harbor is the heart of the city during the summer. Boats are moored here and restaurants, cafés and small shops line the quay.

Fresh seafood straight from the harbor

Of course, we couldn't resist checking out the fish shop by the harbor, Fiskernes Salgslag, where the counters were filled with fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, and other fresh seafood. We bought a big piece of hake and half a kilo of shrimp, which resulted in several really good meals in the camper.

Shrimp sandwich at Marina Bar

We also visited the Marina Bar, which is located at the far end of the quay in a large white wooden house.

Here we each had a shrimp sandwich and a cold beer. Absolutely delicious, and an experience that we really appreciate.

View of Grimstad

Before leaving the city center, we went up to the city's viewpoint, which is located on a high hill. From there, we got a really nice view of the harbor, the archipelago, and the white rooftops.

Visit to Nøgne Ø – one of Norway's most famous breweries

One of the reasons we stayed a little extra long in Grimstad was the opportunity to visit Nøgne Ø, which is also one of Nortrip's hosts. The brewery, located just outside the city center, was founded in Grimstad in 2002 and has developed into Norway's leading producer of craft beer in a relatively short time.

The name of the brewery? It means roughly ”naked island” and comes from the poem Terje Vigen by Henrik Ibsen, the author who lived and worked in Grimstad for several years.

The brewery arranges guided tours with tastings a few days a week during high season. We managed to catch one of these, which made for a very interesting and memorable visit to Nøgne Ø.

We have visited quite a few breweries during our travels, and what we liked here was the personal story and genuine commitment. It was also interesting to hear about unique parts of the history, such as how in 2010 Nøgne Ø became the first brewery in Europe to produce traditional sake.

It was also interesting to try the different beers, which offered an unusually large variety. We started with a more classic beer, passed a "sour beer" (which was very good with cheese) and finished with Nude Ø Nordic Noir.

This is a dark and extremely strong beer brewed with all-Norwegian ingredients, including kveik yeast, local honey and juniper berries. Drinking this is an exclusive experience, comparable to drinking a fine wine.

Nortrip made the visit easy

Thanks to North trip We were able to not only visit the brewery but also spend the night there. Being able to sample the beer and then spend the night right outside the brewery made the visit both comfortable and safe. In the evening we stood by a small stream with two other campers.

More attractions in Grimstad

There is of course more to see in Grimstad than we had time to see, and we intend to mention at least two things.

The Ibsen Museum

Henrik Ibsen is an important part of Grimstad's soul and if you want to know more about the author, you can visit the Ibsen Museum, which is located in the house where Ibsen lived and worked as an apprentice pharmacist between 1843 and 1850.

The Norwegian Distillery

There is not only a brewery in Grimstad, but also Det Norske Brenneri, which produces artisanal gin, aquavit and whiskey. This beverage producer is also a Nortrip host, with guided tours, and we had planned to visit here, but we happened to be passing by just when they were on vacation.

Our experience of Grimstad

Grimstad was a positive surprise. The combination of small-town charm, the sea, good food and local producers meant that we would have liked to stay another day. For us, Grimstad was one of the most pleasant surprises along the south coast of Norway, and a town we would gladly return to.

More to see and do in southern Norway

Do you want to see and experience more in southern or western Norway? Here you will find tips and reports:

• Hardangerfjord
• Dirdalstraen Farm Shop
• The Pulpit Rock
• By motorhome along the south coast of Norway